Clamping device



Spt. 1, 1936; J. P. coco CLAMPINQ DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 18,1936 INVENTDR JOSEPH (0. Coco BYATTORN EY Sept. l, 1936. j p, coco.2,052,870

GLAMPING DEVICE Filed Feb. 18, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTDR 1855p P(060 BYL ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 1, 1936 UNH'ED STATES PATENT QFFHCEhalf to Sara Coco, Ozone Park,

Long Island.

Application February 18, 1936, Serial No. 64,469 7 Claims. (01.128-346)My invention relates to clamping devices and is more especiallyconcerned with clamping instruments adapted for use by surgeons andphysicians.

The clamping instrument embodying the present invention is moreparticularly designed for obstetrical work to be used in securely andsafely tying or clamping the umbilical cord.

- Frequently difiiculties arise in the operation of tying or clampingthe umbilical cord, especially when, as it sometimes happens, the cordis wrapped around the childs neck. Also, there is often the danger, thatduring the drying and consequent shrinking of the cord, the cord is notsufliciently compressed requiring further manipulations which may leadto fatal hemorrhages, infection and umbilical hernia.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a clampingdevice, whereby the umbilical cord is instantly, safely and securelyclamped at two separate places (double clamping action) and whereby aconstant clamping pressure on the shrinking cord is maintained so thatthere is no danger of the cord slipping and no necessity of the cordhaving to be retied. My clamping instrument, therefore, is provided withtwo separate spring-actuated clamps which are so set and controlled thatupon being released, they will act instantly and simultaneously tofirmly clamp the umbilical cord and maintain a constant pressure on thesame. Each clamp is, moreover, provided with an accessory member,whereby, after the cord has been clamped, angulation of the cord may beefiected and maintained so as to make it absolutely impossible for thecord to slip off regardless of the size of the cord, thus positivelypreventing hemorrhage.

Intermediate the two clamps, there may be provided on the sameinstrument a cutter comprising two cooperating blades so disposed thatat' the moment when the umbilical cordis gripped and secured by theclamps, the cutting blades operate to sever the umbilical cord. In thismanner, the instrument will in a single operation clamp and also cut thecord, without any danger to either the mother or the child, for becauseof the simultaneous operation of the two clamps, any hemorrhage iseffectively guarded against.

The operations of clamping and cutting. being simultaneous, being infact a single operation, there is named of reclamping, re-cutting andretying the cord.

The instrument is so constructed that it is simple of being handled, andthe arrangement of the parts is such that upon the instrument beingassembled, the clamping and cutting actions are automatically performedunder the action of the springs controlling the two clamps.

The latter are separate elements of the clamping instrument and can beeasily attached thereto to be set into operative position. The cuttingblades being made removable, the instrument can be used either with orwithout them at the will of the operator.

The instrument is preferably made of stainless steel so as to permit itto be readily sterilized prior to being used.

For a fuller understanding of my invention, I refer to the annexeddrawings, in which I have shown a preferred embodiment of the newinstrument and in which Fig. 1 is a side-view of the instrument inclosed position; Fig. 2 is a similar view as Fig. 1 showing theinstrument with the jaws of the clamps open, a portion of one handlebeing broken away; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the instrument partly insection and one of the jaws of one of the clamps being removed, thelarger handle being shown broken away; Fig. 4 is a section along line4-4 in Fig. 3 showing one of the clamps; Fig. 5 is a view of theinstrument as seen from the left in Fig. 2; Fig. 6 shows the instrumentwhen closed as seen from the front, without the clamps;

Fig. 7 shows one of the clamps with its accessory P clamping member.

As seen from Figs. 1 and 2, the instrument has the appearance of a pairof tongs provided with two handles of unequal length, the longer handlebeing shown at l and the shorter handle being shown at 2. These handlesare pivotally con nected at 3, their forward portions, shownrespectively at 4 and 5, being of rather great width (Figs. 3 and 5).Each of these forward portions has fixed therein near its front end onopposite sides a pin, respectively shown in Fig. 6 at 6, i, 8 and 9.These pins project laterally outward and are designed to receive andhold in place the clamping elements, of which there are two as shown inFigs. 3 and 5, being there indicated at it) and H. Each clamp consistsof two jaws l2 and I3 (Fig. 4) each jaw having a corrugated or roughenedclamping face as shown at It in Figs. 3, 4 and 7.

Each clamp has the shape of an ellipsis and comprises two jaws pressedfirmly against each other by a strong spring IS, the configuration ofwhich is shown in Fig. 4 and which has arched end portions I51: and lib,bearing each against a hollow stud I6 and I1 respectively secured ineach jaw. These hollow studs areof an inner. diameter so that the studswill snugly receive the pins (6, 1, 8 or 9) provided on the broadforward ends 4 and 5 of the handles I and 2. The spring I5 is of such astrength that the Jaws of the clamps can be moved apart only by theoperation of the instrument, the jaws being normally urged into closestengagement with each other by the spring I5.

To one of the jaws of each clamp is pivoted at I8 an accessory clampingmember I9 for the purpose hereinafter described. This clamping memberhas at its forwardend a small slot 22 to be engaged by the nail of thethumb or some fiat tool.

At 20 and 2| are shown cooperating cutter blades which are received insuitable recesses provided in the broad forward ends or heads 4 and 5 ofthe handles and 2 respectively. These blades are fastened by screws 23which as shown in Fig. 3 pass through the sides of the head and engagesuitably tapped holes in the rear ends of the cutter blades. The latterare arranged about midway between the clamps III and II and are sodisposed that as the jaws of the two-clamps come into engagement witheach other, they are brought into cutting engagement with each other.

The larger handle I of the instrument is provided with a short stem 24(Figs. 1 and 2) inwardly projecting toward theshorter handle 2,

which at its free end has a shallow rounded recess 25. On the said stem26 there is pivoted. at 26 an angular trigger-like finger-piece 21 whichcarries a roller shown in Fig. 2 at 28. When the handles land 2 aremovedagainst each other and the finger-piece 21 is rocked about itspivot toward the left in Fig. 1, the roller 28 will drop into theshallow recess 25 at the free end of the handle 2 for holding thehandles in the position shown in Fig. 2. At 29 is shown a leaf-springsecured to the longer handle 2 and bearing-with its curvedfree endagainst the shorter handle 2 thereby urging the same into the positionshown in Fig. 1. At 30 in Figs. and 2 is shown a ring rigidly secured tothe longer handle I on the outside therecf just in advance of the stem24 to which the finger-piece 21 is pivoted. The part shown at 3| inFigs. 3 and '7 shall represent a portion of the umbilical cord to beout.

When the clamping device is to be used, the parts are first assembled asfollows:

In case the cutter blades are to operate, they are first placed in therecesses provided therefor i the broad forward ends -(heads)' of thehandles, and the screws (23 in Fig. 3) are inserted and screwed down tohold the cutter blades firmly in place. 7 Then, while the two handles, Iand 2, occupy the positions shown in Fig. 1, the two clamps are placedwith their hollow studs 16 and H on the pins 6 and 8 and I and 9,laterally projecting from the two sides of the heads 4 and 5. In theposition of the handles I and '2 as shown in Fig. 1, the clamps will beclosed with their roughened or corrugated clamping faces in engagementwith each other, as shown in Fig. 1. Then the handle 2 is moved towardsthe handle I until the roller 28 on the trigger-like fingerpiece 21 'canbe slipped by a corresponding rocking movement of said finger-piece intothe shallow recess 25 at the free end of the shorter han- While thelatter has been moved dle 2 (Fig. 2). against the longer handle I, thepins on the forward ends (heads) of the two handles have sepa rated theopposing jaws of the two clampsagainst' made without a departure fromthe the pressures of the springs I5 controlling the position of thejaws, whereby the springs are placed under a strong tension. Togetherwith the separation of the clamp-laws also the cutterblades 20, 2|, havebeen separated, all as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Now, the operator grasps the rear extension of the longer handle I andpasses his fore-finger through the ring 30, while he places his-thumb Ion the trigger-like finger-piece 21.

Let us suppose that the instrument is to be used for the clamping andsimultaneous cutting of an umbilical cord, the obstetrician with theinstrument in his hand. as just described places the cord between theopened jaws of the two clamps as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. If hethen exerts a rearward pressure on the trigger-like finger-piece 21, hethereby causes the roller 28 to slip out of the shallow recess at thefree end of the shorter handle releasing the.latter with the result thatthe previously Lopened jaws of the two clamps snap together firmlygrasping at two separate places the umbilical cord 3| between theirroughened or corrugated clamping faces while at the same time, the twocutter blades 20 and 2| cut the cord between the two clamps.

Because of the strength of the springs I5 controlling the jaws of theclamps, the jaws not only firmly and securely grip the cord betweenthem, but also maintain a constant pressure on the cord so that even asthe latter dries and shrinks, there will be no danger of its slippingout from between the jaws of the clamp. However, as an additionalsafeguard, there is pivoted to the lower jaw of each clamp an accessoryclamping member which is shown in Fig. 7 at I9 and which is in the shapeof a fiat part having its forward edge rounded off. Near its free end,the member I9 is provided with a curved slot 22, adapted to be engagedby. the thumb nail or a suitable small tool. After the umbilical cordhas been cut by the cutting blades 20 and 2 I, the stumps are bent overby a corresponding movement of the accessory clamping member I9, as thesame is swung about its pivot II! from its normal slanting positionshown in Figs. 1 and 2 to the horizontal position shown in Fig. 7. Inorder to operate the accessory clamping member, the clamps must, ofcourse, flrstbe removed from the heads of the handles. The forward edgesof the accessory clamping members I9 are rounded oil so that as thesememclamps without the blades 20 and 2|, the mere unscrewing of thescrews 23 shown in Fig. 3 will release the olades permitting them to beremoved from their positions. In that case, the portion of the umbilicalcords lying between the two clamps may be cut with a knife or a pair ofscissors.

While I have shown and described a practical embodiment of my invention,it is, of course, um derstood that my invention'is not in any way lim--ited thereto, since various modifications may be gist of the invention.v

I claim: V e

1. In a clamping device of the type described, thecombination of a pairof clamping members, each comprising two opposed Jaws provided withclamping faces and a spring operatively associated with said jaws so asto normally close said jaws maintaining them in clamping position, meansfor simultaneously opening the jaws of both said clamping membersagainst the action of their spring, means for locking the clampingmembers in open position, and a means for releasing said locking meanspermitting the jaws ofsaid clamping members to close upon each otherunder the action of said spring.

2. In a clamping-device of the type described, in combination a pair ofclamping members each comprising two opposed jaws provided 'withclamping faces and a spring operatively associated with said jaws so asto normally close said jaws maintaining them in clamping position, meansfor simultaneously opening the jaws of both said clamping membersagainst the action of their spring, said means having parts for theready attachment thereto of the jaws of said clamping members, a meansfor locking the clamping members in open position, and a means forreleasing said locking means permitting the jaws of said clampingmembers to close upon each other under the action of said spring.

v 3. Ina clamping device of the type described, in combination a pair ofhandles pivotally connected to each other forming a pair of tongs havingopposed broadened portions, a pin laterally projecting at either sidefrom each of said broadened portions, two clamping members eachcomprising two jaws and a spring operatively associated therewith: so asto normally close said jaws maintaining a constant action thereon, thejaws of said clamping members being adapted to be detachably fitted ontosaid pins whereby upon saidhandles being moved towards each other, thejaws of said clamping members are opened simultaneously against theaction of their springs, a means for locking the handles together, and ameans for releasing said locking means causing said clamping members tobe closed automatically by their springs.

4. In a clamping device of the type described,

' in combination two handles pivotally connected to each other forming apair of tongs having opposed broadened portions, means tending to movesaid portions against; each other, a pin laterally projecting from eachof said broadened portions at either side thereof, two clamping memberseach comprising two jaws and a spring operatively associated therewithso as to normally close said jaws maintaining a constant action thereon,the jaws of said clamping members being adapted to be detachably fittedonto said pins whereby upon said handles being moved towards each otherthe jaws of said clamping members are opened simultaneously against theaction of their springs, a means for locking the handles together, and ameans for releasing said locking means causing said clamping members tobe closed automatically by their springs.

5. In a clamping device of the type described, in combination twohandles pivotally connected to each other forming a pair of tongs havingopposed broadened portions, a pin laterally projecting from each of saidbroadened portions on either side thereof, two clamping members eachcomprising two jaws and a spring'operatively associated therewith so astonormally close said. jaws maintaining a constant action thereon, thejaws of said clamping members being adapted to be detachably fitted ontosaid pins whereby upon said handles being moved towards each other thejaws of said clamping members are opened simultaneously against theaction of their springs, two opposing blades detachably mounted in saidbroadenedportions in the space between said clamping members, a meansfor locking the handles together, and a means for releasing said lockingmeans causing said clamping members to be closed automatically by theirsprings, said blades being thereby simultaneously operated.

6. In a clamping device of the type described, in combination a clampingmember comprising two opposed jaws provided with clamping faces and aspring operatively associated with said jaws so as to normally closesaid jaws maintaining a constant action thereon, and an accessoryclamping element pivoted to one of said jaws and adapted when movedrelative to the outsideface of said jaw to grip the part clamped betweensaid jaws- 7. In a-clamping device of the type described, in combinationa clamping member comprising two opposed jaws provided with clampingfaces and a spring operatively associated with said jaws so as tonormally close said jaws maintaining a constant action thereon, and anaccessory clamping element pivoted to one of said jaws having an offsetportion spaced from said jaw and a rounded forward edge on said portion,said clamping element being adapted when moved relative to the outsideface of said jaw to grip the part clamped between said jaws.

JOSEPH P. COC

